Aurora (Seamwork, not Illinois)

Hi there! Hope your week’s going well?

So if it looks like I’m suddenly piling in with the blog posts, you’d be right; I’m trying to get the last of my summer makes on here before the snow reaches to nose height outside!  You may find there is a little blogging flurry and then something of a lull as I get back to actually sewing instead of writing about it.

That sounds very whingey, sorry, it’s not intended that way.  I think I’m in an end of season slump: I want to sew but not sure what I need most autumn wise plus I’m melting in 25 degree heat today!

So, back to summer!

My basic holiday “uniform” is shorts and a sleeveless top; comfy but running after children friendly!  I had several woven cotton tops lined up but fancied a couple of jersey tops too to use my newly acquired overlocker skills.

Enter the Seamwork Aurora (apologies for the corny blog title btw, couldn’t resist!)  I’ve mentioned Seamwork before but I have to say, I do like the concept and the patterns provided.  This one reckons to be a 2 hour make.

Not too sure about that!

One thing I particularly like about it was that it can be made with 1m of fabric, which means you can potentially splash out a little on a nicer fabric.

It’s a pretty simple top but as usual with Seamwork, there are a couple of nice details in the pleat at the back and the yoke coming over to form the front straps.

On a whim, I bought 1m of knit from the Art Gallery Skopelos collection.  This particular one has been popping up all over the internet, I think it’s gorgeous!

I cut a straight size M out with no difficulty.  Then I decided that I would get fancy: not only would I use the overlocker to finish all the seams (I’m not confident enough to use just the overlocker yet, I use a walking foot and a ballpoint needle on my machine first) but I would use a twin needle too.

This may have been an error.

It’s safe to say that, 2 tops down, the twin needle and I are not friends.  Despite cracking open the instruction manual to my machine and trying a couple of different types of twin needle, I still ended up with a load of skipped stitches, some puckering and generally a big mess.

I exaggerate slightly, the results are wearable, but they are not great!  However I think when I make this top again next summer, I’ll probably just zig zag stitch with my single needle rather than trying for the fancy finish.

For the fist version, I followed the pattern’s instructions in regards to attaching the yoke to the bodice and ended up with a rather messy join. For the second version (in Girl Charlee UK feather print knit) I followed this tutorial which I found thanks to @sewmarylou on Instagram – thanks Mary!

There’s really not loads else to say about this pattern: it’s well drafted, it sews up OK (although at my level of experience with knits, it is definitely not a 2 hour make, more like a 4 hour make or two evenings) and I like the slightly stylised finish of the thing; the scooped hem and gently curved side seams combine to make it just that bit more special than your standard tank top.

Seamwork on to a winner again then!

Maybe I’ll get to make the Mesa dress this autumn….

Becca x